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davem · 01-28-2008, 10:43 AM

Just posted this as Lal - so have deleted it & am re-posting under my own name.

Humphrey Carpenter gave a talk a long time ago at the Church House bookshop (around the time The Sil was published) & he mentioned writing to Tolkien about a musical play of The Hobbit he planned to put on at a school he was working at. Tolkien replied that 'he thought the whole idea was complete nonsense & a very silly thing to do, but who was he (Tolkien that is) to stop Carpenter doing it? Carpenter later went to meet him & says Tolkien made clear that he 'strongly disapproved' of translating his work into any other medium. Tolkien also expressed disapproval of the changes Carpenter proposed making to TH, but, & this is interesting, he made no attempt to dissuade Carpenter - & even suggested tunes for the songs. According to Carpenter, most of them were in the form of Gregorian Chant. Anyway, Tolkien was persuaded to go along to see the production & afterwards Carpenter asked him what he thought of the adaptation. Tolkien told him, & apparently it took some time - at the end of which Carpenter looked down & noticed that Tolkien had drunk all Carpenter's wine....

So, it would seem that while Tolkien strongly disapproved of adaptations of his work he felt that it was not his place to stop anyone doing it, & was even (if they were sufficiently respectful) happy to help (if you can call the suggestion of Gregorian Chant for the tunes of a school musical 'help').

Btw, a recording of this talk is available, along with one from Priscilla Tolkien & another from Raynor Unwin - they are all absolutely fascinating http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000XTB8Y0. I've just listened to it & it is wonderful. Carpenter & Priscilla were talking just after the Sil was published, & Raynor the day after UT appeared. There's a question & answer session where he's bombarded with questions about future publications & what might appear. He mentions plans for Barbara Strachey's Journeys of Frodo, & that Shippey's Road to Middle-earth would hopefully be appearing soon! Priscilla's reminiscences are wonderful - & if anyone's interested Tolkien's favourite composers were Sibelius & Wagner.
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01-28-2008, 10:43 AM	#73
davem Illustrious Ulair Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: In the home of lost causes, and forsaken beliefs, and unpopular names,and impossible loyalties Posts: 4,240	Just posted this as Lal - so have deleted it & am re-posting under my own name. Humphrey Carpenter gave a talk a long time ago at the Church House bookshop (around the time The Sil was published) & he mentioned writing to Tolkien about a musical play of The Hobbit he planned to put on at a school he was working at. Tolkien replied that 'he thought the whole idea was complete nonsense & a very silly thing to do, but who was he (Tolkien that is) to stop Carpenter doing it? Carpenter later went to meet him & says Tolkien made clear that he 'strongly disapproved' of translating his work into any other medium. Tolkien also expressed disapproval of the changes Carpenter proposed making to TH, but, & this is interesting, he made no attempt to dissuade Carpenter - & even suggested tunes for the songs. According to Carpenter, most of them were in the form of Gregorian Chant. Anyway, Tolkien was persuaded to go along to see the production & afterwards Carpenter asked him what he thought of the adaptation. Tolkien told him, & apparently it took some time - at the end of which Carpenter looked down & noticed that Tolkien had drunk all Carpenter's wine.... So, it would seem that while Tolkien strongly disapproved of adaptations of his work he felt that it was not his place to stop anyone doing it, & was even (if they were sufficiently respectful) happy to help (if you can call the suggestion of Gregorian Chant for the tunes of a school musical 'help'). Btw, a recording of this talk is available, along with one from Priscilla Tolkien & another from Raynor Unwin - they are all absolutely fascinating http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000XTB8Y0. I've just listened to it & it is wonderful. Carpenter & Priscilla were talking just after the Sil was published, & Raynor the day after UT appeared. There's a question & answer session where he's bombarded with questions about future publications & what might appear. He mentions plans for Barbara Strachey's Journeys of Frodo, & that Shippey's Road to Middle-earth would hopefully be appearing soon! Priscilla's reminiscences are wonderful - & if anyone's interested Tolkien's favourite composers were Sibelius & Wagner. __________________ __________________ “Everything was an object. If you killed a dwarf you could use it as a weapon – it was no different to other large heavy objects."